Eyes for dolls and artificial figures



Jan. 10, 1939.

EYES FOR DOLLS AND ARTIFICIAL FIGURES Filed May 9, 1938 3 SheetsSheet l N. POPOVICH Jan. 10, 1939.

EYES FOR DOLLS AND ARTIFICIAL FIGURES Filed May 9, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 OR I W TCRNEY WW W N. POPOVICH Jan. 10, 1939.

EYES FOR DOLLS AND ARTIFICIAL FTGURES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 9, 1958 A ORNEY Patented Jan. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Nicholas Popovich, Teaneck, N. J., assignor of one-half to Leo Schlitzer, New York, N. Y.

Application May 9, 1938, Serial No. 206,724

16 Claims.

This invention relates particularly to eyes for dolls and artificial figures, which include eye members that are adapted to be movably mounted in eye openings or sockets within the head .5 of a doll or the like to simulate natural movement of the eyes, as in opening and closing thereof and in lateral or sidewise movement of the eyeballs. More specifically, the invention contemplates artificial doll eyes of the type wherein the eye members or eyeballs are mounted to move about two axes that are at angles to each other, for example, as generally shown and described in United States Patent No. 1,309,884, so that the eyeballs may roll or rotate about said axes to simulate opening and closing of the eyes and sidewise movement of the eyeballs, respectively.

One object of the invention is to provide an artificial eye of the general character described which shall embody novel and improved features of construction, whereby the eye shall be simple and inexpensive to manufacture and install in a doll head, and shall be reliable and durable in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved eye unit which shall include an eyeball and means for mounting the eyeball in a doll head, whereby doll heads can be fitted with artificial eyes rapidly and inexpensively and the artificial eyes can be accurately mounted in the eye sockets by relatively unskilled persons and without complicated or difficult adjustments.

A further object is to provide an eye unit which shall include a casing and novel and improved means for mounting an eyeball within the casing for movement about two axes relatively perpendicularly disposed in a common plane, whereby there shall be a minimum of possibility of faulty operation of the eyeball.

Another object is to provide an eye unit which shall include a casing having an eyeball mounted therein, and a novel and improved attaching member for mounting the casing in an eye socket in a doll head, to facilitate rapid and accurate mounting of the eye unit in a doll head.

A further object is to provide a novel and improved device for mounting and fastening an eye member in an eye socket in a doll head, which shall facilitate handling and locating the eye member in the socket and shall firmly and accurately hold the eye member in proper position in the socket.

Other objects are to provide a novel and improved combination of a doll head and an eye unit, Wherein the head and the eye unit shall have cooperating parts to facilitate mounting of the eye unit in the head; and to obtain other advantages and results as will be brought out by the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure l is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a hollow doll head having artificial eye units therein, one of the units being shown in transverse section.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the doll head.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the operation of the eye member in simulating closing of the eye.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 1 illustrating the operation of the eye member in simulating sidewise movement of the eyeballs.

Figure 6 is a composite perspective view of the eye unit showing the parts disassembled.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view through a portion of the doll head and one of the eye units illustrating a modification of the invention.

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view on the line 88 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is an enlarged transverse sectional view on the line 93 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a rear elevational view of a modified form of eyeball.

Figure 11 is a side elevational view thereof.

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a modified form of mounting member for the eye unit.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view on the line l3!3 of Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a further modification of the artificial eye unit, and

Figure 15 is a perspective view of the mounting member shown in Figure 14.

Specifically describing the invention, the reference character A designates a doll head which may be formed of any suitable material, the invention contemplating the use of the eye unit in either elastic rubber doll heads 'or in relatively hard, inelastic doll heads formed of penetrable material such as wood pulp or the like. As usual, the doll head is formed with eye openings I and in accordance with the invention recesses or sockets 2 are formed in the inner walls of the doll head to register with and merge into the eye openings I.

As shown, the sockets 2 are disposed in a transverse rib or projection 3 formed integrally with the head so as to provide a shoulder 4 at each of opposite sides of the sockets and eye openings Each eye unit comprises a casing 5 preferably circular and frusto-conical with one end open and the other end having a curved wall 6 in which is provided an opening I to register with the eye opening I.

Within the casing is mounted an eyeball 8 to pivot on vertical and horizontal axes. As shown, the eyeball 8 is shell-like and comprises a segment of a hollow sphere, the spherical surface having the representation 9 of a pupil and iris. The eyeball 8 is mounted in a ring Iii to pivot about a horizontal axis or a horizontal diameter of the eyeball in which the center of the spherical surface lies. As shown, at diametrically opposite sides thereof, the eyeball is formed with exterior pin pricks or depressions II which receive the pointed ends l2 of pivot pins l3 that are riveted in the ring ID. The Walls of the eyeball are sufiiciently resilient to permit the eyeball to be slipped into the ring and past the pins until the recesses I I register with the pins, whereupon a snap action will cause the pointed ends of the pins to be seated in the depressions II.

The ring H] is mounted within the casing 2 to pivot about a vertical axis or about a vertical diameter in which the center of the spherical surface of the eyeball lies. As shown, the ring has diametrically opposite pin pricks or depressions M in which are seated the pointed ends of pins 15 riveted in the walls of the casing 2. The ring may be slipped between the pivot pins 15 as is the eyeball slipped between the pivot pins 13.

The ring 10 is mounted in the casing 2 so as to locate the spherical surface of. the eyeball in juxtaposition to the opening I in the casing and the eye opening I. The lower edge of the eyeball The block is secured on the tab as by compressing the material of the block adjacent the slot into tight frictional contact with the tab. The tab and block are so related to the eyeball as to normally hold the pupil and iris 9 centrally in the eye opening when the head is vertically disposed as shown in Figure 2, the pivotal movement of the eyeball being limited by engagement of the block with the ring I 0. Pivotal movement of the ring Ill about the pins I5 is limited by engagement of the ring with a shoulder 50 in the walls of the casing 5.

For mounting the casing 5 in the recess 2, I provide a mounting member which comprises a plate l8 having slots or openings IS in which are clinched ears 20 on the edge of the casing at its open end. Of course, the casing may be connected to the plate in any other suitable way. The plate has oppositely disposed arms 2| projecting laterally from the plate, one at each of two opposite sides of. the casing 5 as shown in Figures 2 and 6, and preferably the free ends of the arms have prongs 22 to penetrate the material of the rib or projection 3.

Before mounting of the eye unit in the head,

the casing is assembled on the mounting member, and the arms 2| are spread apart as shown in Figure 6. Then the casing 5 is slidably fitted into the socket 2 until the curved end of the casing abuts the inner end of the socket, whereupon the arms 2! are pressed toward each other to cause the prongs 22 to penetrate the rib or projection 3 as shown in Figure 2. If desired, the shoulders 4 of the projection 3 may have depressions or grooves to receive the prongs.

In operation of the invention so far described, upon tilting of the head forwardly or backwardly out of a vertical plane, the eye opening is moved relatively to the eyeball about the horizontal axis of the eyeball which is held approximately stationary by the counterweight I6, [1, as clearly shown in Figure 4. This action will simulate opening or closing of the eye, depending upon the direction of movement of, the head. Upon sidewise tilting of the head due to gravitational action of the counterweight on the eyeball, relative movement of the eyeball and the eye opening will occur on the vertical axis as shown in Figure 3, this movement being limited by engagement of the ring ill with the end 6 of the casing, as shown in Figure 5.

A modification of the invention is shown in Figures '7 to 9 inclusive wherein the ring 24 is mounted in the casing 5 in the same way as here inbefore described, but the inner surface of the ring has diametrically opposite notches 25 which form diametrically opposite knife edge fulcrum lugs 26 disposed on a horizontal diameter of the ring; and the eyeball segment 21 is of a diameter less than that of the inner diameter of the ring and has diametrically oppositely disposed ears 23 extending from its edge and formed with notches 29 seated on the fulcrum lugs 26 to pivot the eyeball on a horizontal axis. This structure provides a simple pivotal mounting of the eyeball in the ring and avoids the necessity for pivot pins. The upper edges 30 of the notches 25 in the ring are preferably spaced from the fulcrum lugs 26 a distance to prevent the ears 28 from being accidentally displaced from the fulcrum lugs during use of the eye unit, although the ears 28 may be easily slipped between the fulcrum lugs and the shoulder 30 by swinging the eyeball in a certain relation to the ring and slipping the ears endwise through the notches. has 'a counterweight 3| corresponding in structure and operation to the counterweight 16, IT.

A further modification of the invention is shown in Figures 10 and 11 wherethe eyeball consists of a hemispherical shell 32 having ears 33 at its edge clinched through slots 34 in a plate 35 for securing the plate to the shell. The plate has diametrically aligned pivot pins '36 to cooperate with depressions or holes on the inner surface of the ring H]. The pins 36 may be mounted on the plate 35 as by slipping the pins beneath straps 31 struck upwardly from the plate and clinched about the pins. With this construction, the pins may be adjusted diametrically of the eyeball to accurately mount the eyeball within the ring. This structure is in effect the reversal of the structure shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive wherein the pins aremounted 'on the ring and the depressions are carried by the eyeball.

A modified form of a mounting member for securing the eye member in the doll head is shown in Figures 12 and 13. Here the head B has an integral projection 38 disposed in spaced relation The eyeball to the side walls of the doll head so that the eye openings are disposed between said projection and the respective side walls of the head. The mounting member includes a plate 39 having opposite deformable arms 40 projecting from its edge and having their free ends disposed diametrically opposite and formedwith prongs ll. The eye member or casing 42 may be secured to the plate in any suitable manner, as by clinching the ears 43 of the casing over the edge of the plate.

Normally before installation of the eye units in the .doll head, the arms 46 are so disposed with respect to the plate 39 that the prongs 4! are spaced apart a distance to permit the plate and eyemember 42 to be slipped between the projection 38 and one side wall of the doll head as shown at the right hand side of Figure 12. After the eye member has been registered with the eye opening, the arms 4!] are extended or bent outwardly as by the insertion of a tool in holes 4 in the ends of the arms, so as to cause the prongs 4! to penetrate the projection 38 and the side wall of the head, respectively, as shown at the left .hand side of Figure 2.

Preferably the arms 49 are resilient in directions at angles to their general plane so as to facilitate firm but yielding seating of the eye member 42 against the walls of the eye opening in the doll head.

A further modification of the invention is shown in Figures 14 and 15 where the mounting member 45 is of the same general nature as the mounting member shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, but has the casing of the eye unit frictionally slidably adjustably mounted thereon. As shown, this mounting member 45 has a split tubular socket 46 disposed between the arms 41, and the casing 48 is formed somewhat shorter than the casing 5 and is frictionally slidably telescoped within the split tubular socket. The walls of the split tubular socket are preferably resilient so as to snugly hold the casing 58 in position. This structure is advantageous in that it permits the casing 48 to be adjusted lengthwise of the socket 46 to compensate for sockets 2 in the doll head of varying lengths. Also, the casing 48 may be rotatably adjusted in the socket 46 so as to facilitate accurate register of the opening in the casing with the eye opening in the doll head.

While I have shown and described the invention as embodied in several forms and details of construction, it should be understood that this is primarily for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention and that many modifications and changes may be made in the structural details without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An artificial eye unit for dolls comprising a casing having an opening to register with an eye opening in a doll head, a ring mounted in said casing to pivot upon a vertical diametral axis, an eyeball mounted in said ring to pivot on a horizontal diametral axis, and a counterweight connected to said eyeball and extending a substantial distance to the rear of the vertical plane in which said horizontal axis lies.

2. The combination of a doll head having an eye opening and an artificial eye including a casing mounted in said head and having an opening in register with said eye opening, a ring mounted in said casing to pivot upon a vertical diametral axis, an eyeball mounted in said ring to pivot on a horizontal diametral axis, and a counterweight connected to said eyeball and extending a substantial distance to the rear of the vertical plane in which said horizontal axis lies, whereby upon tilting of said head forwardly or backwardly and sidewise said counterweight will cause said eyeball and said ring to move about said horizontal and vertical axes respectively to simulate opening and closing of the eye and sidewise rolling of the eyeball respectively.

3. An artificial eye unit for dolls comprising a casing having an opening to register with an eye opening in a doll head, a ring mounted in said casing to pivot upon a vertical diametral axis and having diametrically opposite knife edge fulcrum lugs disposed on the inside of the ring on a horizontal diameter, an eyeball comprising a segment of a sphere of a diameter less than that of said ring and having notches to receive and seat on said fulcrum lugs for pivotally mounting said eyeball in said ring to pivot on a horizontal axis, and a counterweight connected to said eyeball and extending a substantial distance to the rear of the vertical plane in which lies said horizontal axis.

4. The artificial eye unit set forth in claim 3 wherein said eyeball is a shell and has diametrically oppositely disposed ears extending from its edge and formed with said notches.

5. An artificial eye unit for dolls, comprising a mounting member including a plate having spaced opposed arms to embrace and positively engage a portion of a doll head, a casing mounted on and projecting from said plate between said arms and having an opening to register with an eye opening in a doll head, and an eyeball pivotally mounted in said casing in juxtaposition to said opening therein.

6. The combination of a hollow doll head having an eye opening and a shoulder extending from the inner surface of said head at each of two opposite sides of said eye opening, a mounting member including a plate, a casing mounted on and projecting from said plate and having an opening to register with said eye opening, said plate having two opposed arms one at each of opposite sides of said casing, said arms to embrace and positively engage said shoulders between them and mount said casing in proper relation to said eye opening, and an eyeball pivotally mounted in said casing.

7. The combination of a hollow doll head of penetrable material having a projection on the inner side of the face of the head, an eye opening extending through said projection, a mounting member including a plate, a casing mounted on and projecting from said plate and fitted into said eye opening and having an opening to register with said eye opening at the face of the head, said plate having two opposed arms one at each of opposite sides of said casing, said arms to embrace and positively engage said projection between them and mount said casing in proper relation in said eye opening, and an eyeball pivotally mounted in said casing.

8. The combination of a hollow doll head of penetrable material having a projection on the inner side of the face of the head in spaced relation to one side wall of the head and an eye opening between said projection and said side wall, a mounting member including a plate having integral opposite deformable arms at its edge, each arm formed with prongs to penetrate the material of said head, said arms being initially disposed to permit said plate to be inserted between said projection and said side wall and being capable of being forcibly extended outwardly from the plate to cause said prongs to penetrate said projection and said side wall respectively to hold said plate in said head, and an eye member mounted on said plate and. disposed in said eye opening.

9. An artificial eye imit including a plate having integral opposite deformable arms at its edge, each arm having a prong to penetrate the material of a doll head, said arms being capable of being extended outwardly from said plate to cause said prongs to penetrate a doll head, and an eye member mounted on said plate.

10. The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein said arms are laterally resilient to yieldingly hold said eye member in contact with the edges of said eye opening.

11. The artificial eye unit set forth in claim 9 wherein said arms are laterally resilient in directions at angles to their general planes.

12. The combination of a hollow doll head of penetrable material having a projection on the inner side of the face of the head, an eye opening extending through said projection, a mounting member including a plate, an eye member mount= ed on said plate and fitted in said eye opening, said plate having opposed arms one at each of opposite sides of said eye member, said arms embracing and positively engaging said projection between them to hold said eye member in said eye opening.

13. An artificial eye for dolls, comprising a mounting member including a plate having spaced .opposed arms to positively engage a portion of a doll head and hold' the plate therein, a casing mounted on and projecting from said plate between said arms and having an opening to register with an eye opening in a doll head, and an eyeball pivotally mounted in said casing in juxtaposition to said opening therein.

14. The combination of a hollow doll head of .penetrable material having a projection on the inner side of the face of thehead in spaced .relation to one side wall of the head and an eye opening between said projection and said side wall, amounting member including a plate having integral opposite deformable arms at its edge, each arm formed with prongs to penetrate the material of said head, said arms being initially disposed to permit said plate to be inserted between said projection and said side wall and being capable of being forcibly extended outwardly from the plate to cause said prongs to penetrate said projection and said side wall respectively to hold said plate in said head, a casing mounted on said plate between said arms and having an opening to register with said eye opening, and an eyeball pivotally mounted in said casing.

15. The combination set forth in claim 7, wherein said plate has a split tubular socket between said arms and said casing is frictionally slidably fitted in said socket, whereby the casing can be adjusted in said socket for accurate register with said eye opening.

16. The combination of a doll head having an eye opening, and an artificial eye including a casing mounted in said head and having an opening in register with said eye opening, a ring mounted in said casing to pivot upon a vertical diametral axis, an eyeball mounted in said ring to pivot on a horizontal diametral axis of said ring and said eyeball in a common plane with said vertical axis, and acounterweight connected to said eyeball and disposed with respect to said common plane so that upon tilting of said head forwardly or backwardly and-sidewise said counterweight will cause said eyeball and said ring tomove about said horizontal and vertical axes respectively to simulate opening and closing of the eye and sidewise rolling of the eyeball respectively.

NICHOLAS POPOVICH. 

